Illinois auditor general arrested on DUI charge in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD --- Illinois Auditor General William Holland said today he has been cited for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol in Springfield.

Holland, 61, confirmed he received tickets for alleged drunken driving and improper lane usage at about 11:45 p.m. Wednesday. A police report stated that Holland "had a very strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath, red, blood-shot glassy eyes."

Police reported Holland failed field sobriety tests. Holland said he refused to take a breath test. Such refusal triggers a suspension of a license for a year, according to the police documents and the Illinois secretary of state’s office. He posted $100 bail.

Holland called the matter “unfortunate.”

“I was in my own car,” Holland said. “It was not a state vehicle. There was nobody else with me. I was on my own time. I’m happy to say that there was no damage to any property or any individual.”

“I view this as a personal matter,” Holland said, declining further comment. He is scheduled for a court appearance next month.

Just appointed last year to his third, 10-year term as the state’s government watchdog, Holland has been in his statewide oversight position since 1992. When the House and Senate voted to reappoint him for a third term, he won widespread praise from lawmakers for his investigations into the administration of Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Holland’s testimony buttressed Blagojevich impeachment proceedings, and his audits pointed out how Blagojevich officials repeatedly attempted end runs around rules for contract bidding and other basic government procedures.

The House impeached Blagojevich following his December 2008 pre-dawn arrest by FBI agents on corruption charges that included trying to trade for personal benefit the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama when he was elected to his first term as president. The Illinois Senate then tossed Blagojevich from office in January 2009. The former governor was convicted in federal court of wide-ranging corruption and began a 14-year sentence in prison last year.